


TriceraBonding

by kyrdwyn



Series: Family Rules [1]
Category: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers Dino Charge
Genre: Families of Choice, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-06
Updated: 2015-03-06
Packaged: 2018-03-16 12:50:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3488891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyrdwyn/pseuds/kyrdwyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shelby's father comes to visit her in Amber Beach.  Turns out, he isn't as unaware of rangers as some might think.</p>
            </blockquote>





	TriceraBonding

**Author's Note:**

> My friend SchizoCherri is a horrible influence, and most of this series has been plotted with her giving the bunnies food.

"Tyler, I really need to go on my lunch break now, can you cover for me?" Shelby gave her friend a wide eyed look as she took off her hat and apron. 

"I thought you were going in half an hour?" the red ranger asked. 

"I was, but my dad got here early and I haven't seen him in a month and he's leaving tonight for another business trip. Please, Tyler?" The worst part was, it was all true, her dad hadn't been to Amber Beach in a month and he was leaving again that night. She would barely have time to tell him anything, but darn it, she wanted to have lunch with him at least, even if it was a couple of Bronto burgers and milkshakes.

"Okay," Tyler said. "Go have fun with your dad. I'll cover with Miss Morgan."

Shelby popped up on her toes and kissed Tyler's cheek. "Thanks, Tyler." She headed out of the staff area and back around to the customer entrance of the cafe. She looked around, finally spotting the figure she was looking for. "Dad!"

The blonde man turned, glasses gleaming in the overhead lights. He smiled. "Shelby!" 

She darted forward, wrapping her arms around him. "I missed you!" she said into his shirt.

He hugged her back. "I missed you too, honey."

She took a step back, smiling up at Billy Cranston. "So, lunch? I know you can't stay long in Amber Beach."

"Lunch with my favorite daughter sounds great," he said, smiling back at her. "Here?"

"I'm your only daughter," she said with a grin. "And sure." She linked her arm through his and led him into the cafe, snagging them a two top table in the corner. She glanced around. Chase and Riley were serving, and she hoped that Riley waited on them.

"So, how are things at the museum? You managed to get on any digs yet?" 

She shook her head. "Not for lack of trying," she said. 

"I can still see about getting your name to--"

She held up her hand to cut him off. "No, dad, I want to do this on my own," she said. "And I know how you feel about, well, your rainbow business cohorts."

He gave her a smile. "True. But for you, I would break my silence." He picked up the menu.

"I know." She didn't need to pick her menu up. Which meant she saw Chase heading their way, and she sighed. Dad would at least like Riley. Chase, well, hopefully he'd be on good behavior.

"Shelby," Chase said, frowning at her. "Thought your lunch wasn't until later."

"My dad's here, so I switched with Tyler," she said. Dad looked up from his menu at Chase, his glance taking in the name tag and the shirt color. He frowned.

"Well, pleasure to meet you, Mr. Watkins," Chase said with a smile, even as he glanced between them. Shelby did not sigh, as much as she wanted to. She'd explain her family situation to him later. 

"It's Dr. Cranston, actually," her dad said mildly. "And I'll have the Bronto Burger, medium rare, fossil fries, and a water, please."

Chase blinked but wrote down the order. "I'll take my usual," Shelby said with a smile.

"Got it, we'll have it right out," Chase said with a wink at her before heading back to the kitchen.

Her dad turned to watch, and she could see when he caught sight of Riley clearing a table. He turned back to her. "Rule number 3?"

"Is why I wanted to have lunch with you today," Shelby admitted. "Not something I can discuss over email or a telephone."

"All you had to do was say that you were implementing rule number three, Shelby. You know I wouldn't be mad."

"I know, dad, I just... things happened quickly, and then you emailed saying you were coming home, and I really wanted to tell you in person."

Her dad smiled at her. "Well, I think I can guess which one," he said, looking at her pink shirt.

"Well, someone else already had yours."

"Hey, you be who you are, Shelby. I've never expected you to follow in my footsteps, or your mother's. She doesn't either." He turned serious. "This... is a huge responsibility, and it will change you, in ways you may not figure out until much later. In ways that I'm still figuring out myself," he admitted softly.

She bit her lip, knowing what he was talking about. She'd already had nightmares of that first fight with Iceage, about what would have happened if Tyler hadn't arrived, if they hadn't been touching the Energems when he froze them... if they hadn't figured out how to morph. She knew how many nightmares her parents still had, the demons that drove her dad to be gone all the time, caught up in the business and charity aspects of his company's work. Her mom was the same way, now that Shelby wasn't living at home.

"Dr. Cranston!"

Miss Morgan's voice interrupted the quiet moment, and they both turned to see the museum administrator walking toward them, her eyes wide. "I apologize, I thought our meeting was set for this afternoon." She gave Shelby a look. "I hope Ms. Watkins hasn't been bothering you."

"My daughter is never a bother to me," he said lightly. "And since our meeting is later this afternoon, I decided that I'd tour the museum first and have lunch with my daughter before the meeting, as I rarely get to see her." He grinned at Shelby, who grinned back at him.

"Oh." Clearly Miss Morgan hadn't been expecting that answer. "Well, I will let you catch up, then." She looked back and forth between them, then turned and hurried off.

"I am going to have so much explaining to do," Shelby sighed.

"There's always the truth." He unwrapped his silverware and set the napkin in his lap.

"Which is a lot of explaining in itself, even leaving out rule 3, and rule 5." Chase was approaching with their food. Shelby shook her head even as her dad started to say something.

"All right, I've got a Bronto Burger, Fossil fries, and a water, and a Tuna-dactyl, fossil fries, and a shake. Enjoy." Chase gave her another wink and headed toward the kitchen. Through the opening, Shelby could see Tyler, Koda, and Riley looking at them. She glared at them until they went back to work.

"The rest of Rule 3?" he asked as they started eating.

"Yep."

"So, based on news reports, the new Ranger team is a red, black, blue, pink, and green combination. No yellow?"

"Not that has been seen. And only three Zords seen so far. A T-Rex, a stegosaurus, and a triceratops. Which is pink, and really cool," Shelby added with a grin. 

Her dad smiled widely. "Chip off the old fossil after all."

"Yep. So, where are you off to next?"

"Well, that depends. Part of our operations are still helping Harwood County, but we have been discussing setting up in the next Ranger city, meaning... well, I might be setting up a branch in Amber Beach for the duration, for emergency response and planning."

"Okay, but you've never gone to the other cities before personally." TUW Enterprises, the overall company for Billy Cranston's technology manufacturing business and his and his wife's charities, was headquartered in San Diego, where her parents lived when they weren't off with the charitable group in places other than Ranger cities. 

"I never had a personal interest in any of the cities before," he said quietly, reaching out to take her hand. "Even if Rule 3 wasn't in play, I was still considering it."

"I wouldn't object," Shelby said softly. She missed her parents, even though it had been her choice to move to Amber Beach last year. "But, would you be... okay?" 

"I don't know. It's been eighteen years since I've lived in a ranger city…"

"And you still have nightmares," she said, playing with a fry. "I know you and mom have issues from your Angel Grove days."

"I won't know until I try. And if it's not good, well, I may have to leave." He gave her a shrug. "But at the moment, I'd rather be here if you need me."

She smiled at him as she went back to her sandwich.

"Have you told your mother yet?"

"That's this week's phone call to her."

"When you talk to her, tell her... well, no, I can tell her myself."

"I am not passing dirty messages between my parents," Shelby said, giving her father a look.

"I was merely going to say you could suggest to her that she take a break from setting up the Kenya branch, perhaps in San Diego or Amber Beach."

"And she'll tell me that you can call her and tell her that yourself."

"Which is why I said that. I'll email her tonight, let her know I saw you. Maybe tell her you still prefer triceratops to sabre-tooth tigers," he added with a grin.

Before she could respond, Tyler came up to the table. "Shelby, I'm sorry to interrupt, but we have an emergency in the back that needs your help." He fiddled with his Energem, letting her know it was actually a Ranger emergency. Her dad hadn't missed the move, she could tell. 

"Go on, honey, I'm going to tour the museum before my meeting." 

"You sure?" She asked as she got up. 

"Of course. Work first. And hey, Rule 1."

She kissed his cheek. "Rule 1."

She hurried off with Tyler, who frowned at her. "Rule 1?"

She smiled. "Family thing." Her mother had made Rule 1, right before she'd married Shelby's dad, to reassure Shelby. _"Rule 1 of our new family, baby. Always remember that I love you. Okay?"_

_"Okay, mama."_

Later, as they stood in front of Sledge's latest monster, Shelby considered that maybe they needed rules for the ranger team. She could already think of Rule One. 

_Once a Ranger, Always a Ranger._


End file.
